The frankness of works by Henri Rousseau and André Bauchant can be described as child-like. Although perceived as simplistic in nature the perspective is more flat and its expression more rudimentary than other artworks produced in the first decades of the 20th century. The question then is asked – why? Later referred to as Naïve-style art, its origins lie post-Impressionism 19th century France, corresponding to works made by an artist with no formal training in an art school or academy. By deforming perspective, color and modifying reality, this movement sought to escape from what was perceived as the insincere sophistication of art created within the traditional system. Naïve artists are sometimes referred to as modern primitives but equally this shift from tradition also led to taught artists employing an aesthetic but also a different label – modern primitive art. The medium does not even have to be paint to render the simplicity of this style as seen in the illustrated works within our own selections. The likes of Peter De Boer focuses on the subject of nature and landscape in everyday life - conveying the dangers of humanity and nature interacting, his simple perspective highlighting the dangers both can inflict on the other. Whilst Menashe Kadishman also pulls from nature using the animal as the subject to highlight his own past and ultimately that naïve art as a style is a truly sincere one.
